Afterlife
by Pupmon1
Summary: Summer shows Pyrrha the place where good people go when they die
1. Afterlife

"PYRRHA!"

That was the last thing she heard...it was...was Ruby...calling out for her. Her body felt so heavy...everything hurt, though only for a moment...then she started to feel numb. She couldn't open her eyes...there was nothing but a numb darkness.

"Pyrrha Nikos…" a new voice spoke. "Open your eyes…"

Pyrrha groaned in pain and slowly forced her eyes open. She found herself kneeling in the middle of a large field of green grass, the only thing of note is the woman standing before her...where Cinder stood before- The warrior girl cringed and grabbed at her chest as a sharp pain surged through her. There was no arrow...Pyrrha looked down and saw a hole in her chest, the hole lightly glowing red. She poked the hole and gasped as her finger slipped inside her chest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Its very...uncomfortable…" the woman before her said softly.

Pyrrha pulled her hand away and she looked up at the young woman and gasped. It was Ruby...no...no it wasn't. The woman was dressed in a pure white cloak, and a black, longer version of Ruby's combat skirt. Pyrrha looked up at her, meeting her silver-eyed gaze.

The woman smiled and reached down, holding out a hand to help Pyrrha up. Pyrrha slowly reached out and took the woman's hand. The woman smiled and easily pulled the warrior girl to her feet.

"Who are you?" Pyrrha asked softly, breaking the serene silence of the place. "Where am I?"

"I am Summer Rose," the woman answered almost regally. "And y-"

"You're Ruby's mom!" Pyrrha suddenly exclaimed interrupting her.

The woman, Summer, stopped and looked down at Pyrrha. "What gives you that idea? The cloak...the silver eyes...or the name?" she deadpanned.

Pyrrha blushed nervously and rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry...anyway, where am I? Am I...dead?"

"Yes." Summer nodded solemnly. "Are you okay?"

Pyrrha put a hand on her chest, feeling her forefinger press into the devit. "I...I will be...so this is...heaven?"

Summer rocked on her feet and shrugged. "I guess? It's the place where good people come after they die...and yet it's fairly sparse here."

Pyrrha looked around confused. "So...heaven is a field?"

"Eh...think of this an an entry room." As Summer spoke she turned her head, as if something Pyrrha couldn't see had caught her attention. As she moved, Pyrrha noticed something that was hidden before...a lightly glowing silver line across her throat. Before she could say anything, Summer once again presented her hand. "Take my hand."

It wasn't an offer...but an order. Pyrrha took a deep breath and took Summer's hand in her own. Summer smiled a little...then suddenly, pure white, the world became a blur and it felt like the ground dropped from underneath Pyrrha's feet. It only lasted a moment, but it left the young girl dizzy when she hit solid ground again. She fell forward and clung to Summer's arm, until her stomach caught up with her.

"Wh-what was that?" Pyrrha asked as she calmed her breathing.

"How one gets around here. Exhilarating, right?" Summer said with a laugh.

Pyrrha slowly stood up straight again and looked around. They were now standing in a hallway, doors spanning the infinite length on both sides. Pyrrha counted about six that were open...the others were closed. Behind Summer was a large steel door.

"This is what I call the crossroads...here there's a door for every person who's lived and died…" Summer explained with a grand wave of her hand. "The open ones hold the spirits of those who have died and risen here. You may explore if you wish...but don't intrude."

Pyrrha nodded and walked past Summer, intend on discovering what the large gate was, but first she had to pass the rooms. The first one she came across was metal, and beyond it was a sight Pyrrha dreaded. It was a small lab, just a large computer...and a metal chair. In the chair sat a red headed girl, her body lit with pulsating green lines. Though, three softly glowing green lines stood out...one across her chest, the next around her waist, and the third clean through her arm.

Pyrrha gasped and stepped back, her hands flying to her mouth. "Penny…" she mumbled softly.

At the sound of her name, the living android opened her eyes and looked up. Her face was emotionless as she slowly stood and walked up to the door.

The two red heads stared in silence for a few moments, Pyrrha ready to cry, and Penny appearing emotionless, as if she was trying to process the person who stood before her. Pyrrha was the first to break the silence. "P-Penny...I...I'm so sorry...I-I didn-"

"You shouldn't be here," Penny suddenly said, interrupting the taller girl. Pyrrha shook her head, trying to hold back her tears. She took a shaky breath, though before she could use it to defend herself, Penny continued. "You shouldn't be here...it's too early for you."

"...it was too early for you too Penny…" Pyrrha said with a gulp, trying to keep her voice steady.

Penny smile and suddenly hugged Pyrrha, wrapping her arms around the larger girl's torso. "It's okay...I know you didn't mean to. And...and we can become friends here...you'll be my friend, right?"

Pyrrha paused, unsure for a moment...though she knew she didn't have it in her to say no. "Yes...I'd be happy to be your friend…I'll visit you as often as I can..."

Penny smiled and jumped a little excitedly before letting go and stepping back. Pyrrha waved to Penny as the girl returned to her chair, then the warrior moved on.

The next door was a simple inn door, that led to a rundown room. Laying on the bed in plain sight with his back to the door was a man in a white suit with orange hair, on the small nightstand beside him rested a bowler hat, and a cane. Pyrrha's eyes went wide when she realized who she was looking at.

"Roman Torchwick! What's he doing here?!" she suddenly demanded of Summer. "I thought you said this place was for good people!"

Summer looked at the man who tried to kill her daughter and simply shrug. "We don't get to decide who's good and who isn't."

"Then who does?"

At that question Summer turned her gaze to the ceiling, as if to address an unseen god. "Crazy people you will never meet...and yet you'll be constantly questioning their sanity."

Pyrrha looked at the still man for a few moments, trying to find his...mark...but there was nothing. Or nothing she could see. Summer sighed a little and clamped a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder, leading her away from the villian's door.

The older woman tried to usher her past a similar wooden door, but was forced to stop when the occupant inside called out for her. "Summer? Who's come now?"

Pyrrha looked over to find Amber standing in the doorway, an orange hole in her chest, same as Pyrrha's. Their eyes met...and Amber smiled sadly. "Ah...Pyrrha Nikos. I'd like to thank you...for trying to save Fall's power from Cinder."

Pyrrha stared down at the out stretched hand Amber presented her. "But I failed...Cinder got the power...killed me...and nearly destroyed Vale…"

Suddenly two hands were clamped on her shoulder. One belonged to Summer, the other to Amber, and they both had comforting smiles on their faces.

"Oh...dear Pyrrha, you did wonderfully. You put your life on the line for both the people you cared about, and the innocent people of the world, that's all anyone could ever have asked of you, because that's all you ever had to give," Amber said in a gentle voice. "You were very brave...braver than most. Don't feel sad, you did just fine."

Pyrrha looked up at the former fall maiden, and smiled. "Th-thank you…"

Amber nodded and Pyrrha continued moving down the hall. Only three open doors remained, but only one was occupied, the other two was a standard couple's bedroom, and her own dorm room. The occupied one was an office door, slightly cracked open, from beyond Pyrrha could hear the sound of keystrokes. She glanced back at Summer with curiosity, then very slowly, pushed the door open enough for her to peek inside. It opened up to an office of all things, a black haired man sat at a large desk, typing away at an old style computer. The man stopped and turned his head at the sound of the opening door, Pyrrha could see a smile before Summer pulled her back.

The older woman carefully returned the door to its cracked positions. "I told you...don't intrude…" she scolded softly.

"Who...who was that?" Pyrrha asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. "What was he doing?"

Summer sighed and looked on sadly at the door. "That is a great man who died far before his time. As for what he's doing? He's watching his creation out live him, and be loved by many."

Pyrrha nodded, taking a hint from Summer's somber tone that it would be best not to ask anything more about the man in the office. The warrior girl stepped away from the door, then walked down the hall to find herself standing at the large steel gate. "What is this?"

Summer smiled and stepped forward, putting a hand on the metal. "This is where the living world meets the dead. Here...we can cross over...and watch the loved ones we left behind."

Pyrrha reached out and touched the door...it was warm, like the sun on a bright summer's day. "We can...we can visit them?"

"We can watch them," Summer confirmed. "Would you like me to show you? It's kinda...disorientating the first time."

Pyrrha nodded and took Summer's hand. The older woman smiled, then looked at the door. She spoke only one word, Ruby, before pushing on the door. The door opened into darkness and sucked Summer in, dragging Pyrrha along. This wasn't like before. The two were consumed by darkness as they fell down. Pyrrha covered her face with her free arm, her hand squeezing Summer's...she was afraid what would happen if she let go.

After what felt like minutes of falling, they slowed to a stop and the world formed around them. Pyrrha found herself in the snow covered forests of Patch. She pulled her hand from Summer's and looked around, finding the area free of Grimm and peaceful. Four people walked past, all of whom Pyrrha would know anywhere. Ruby...Nora...Ren...and...and Jaune. Ruby and Nora were joking around, Ren just watching the small girls with a small smile, and Jaune walked in front.

"Jaune…" Pyrrha spoke softly, her voice would crack if she spoke any louder.

The boy stopped for a moment and looked back. "Did you all hear that?" he asked.

Nora and Ren looked around then shook their heads. "It's all silent Jaune...no Grimm around, no animals either," Ren said.

Ruby instead turned to look towards the two spirits out of the corner of her eyes. "N-no Jaune...we should keep going…"

All three nodded and Ruby moved ahead, walking on now silently. Her companions stared at the girl in red, surprised by her sudden change of attitude, but she was right, they had to keep moving...get far enough away before anyone came after them.

Pyrrha watched them walk off, Summer just chuckling. "I swear...sometimes that girl can see us."

"...you said...we can watch those we left behind?" Pyrrha asked softly. When Summer nodded, the young warrior continued speaking. "...what if...we don't want to leave?"

Summer smiled and put a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. "You can stay...and watch...for as long as you want...no one would fault you. It's hard...I know it is. Go on, catch up to them."

Pyrrha pulled away from Summer and ran after her friends, she knew they couldn't see her...or hear her...but just being near them, knowing they're okay, it put her mind at ease. Summer smiled and calmly followed, intent on watching over her daughter while she was without her team, as she had for so long before.


	2. I'm Still Here

**AN: So I was inspired by something...so here's a little thing that I wrote based on 4:2. I'll probably do more of these if I can work this world into it. I know its short...sorry. Also don't read if you haven't watched Vol4 EP2.**

* * *

Summer sat beside her little girl as she slept. She reached out and tried to put a hand on her daughter's cheek as her expression was warped by a painful nightmare. Ruby whimpered softly, and Summer sighed. "Oh Ruby...it's okay," she spoke gently, though she could only hope her words could reach the young girl. "Everything will be okay…I'm-"

The lost warrior was cut off when Ruby suddenly gasped awake and sat up. She looked around confused, then heard an echo of Pyrrha's voice. Summer stood and stepped away as Ruby got up to follow the sound. The sound of Pyrrha's voice led to a small clearing...where Jaune was practicing to a recording of Pyrrha. Some trees in the area were cut down, his scroll resting in one, and Pyrrha's ghost sitting in another.

Summer stepped out from behind the tree and towards Pyrrha. "Pyrrha...we shouldn't cross paths as often as we do."

Pyrrha said nothing for a moment, just watching Jaune train to the recording. Once she allowed him to take a break, Pyrrha finally spoke. "He's pushing himself very hard."

"He's trying to be strong."

"He's pushing himself too hard," Pyrrha said plainly.

Summer sighed and put a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. "I know...but he'll be alright. He has others who worry for him too."

Pyrrha followed Summer's gaze to where Ruby was hiding. Then the older woman pulled away, reaching up and pulling on her hood. "You're staying down here...aren't you?"

"I'll stay by his side as long as he needs me," came the answer.

Summer smiled and nodded. "I have to go...could you look after Ruby while I'm gone?"

"Of course," Pyrrha said with a nod. "She'll be okay...right?"

"These nightmares won't last...they never do...she just...needs to cope," Summer answered before disappearing, her mind focused on another who needed her as well...another young girl who's lost her way.

Pyrrha glanced back as Summer vanished, wondering where she was going. Before she could think about it, the recording caught her attention again. "I'll always be here for you, Jaune."

Pyrrha looked over at the armored boy and smiled sadly. "I'm still here...I always will be...I won't leave you again...even if you can't see me...I'm still here."


End file.
